Can openeb



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,551,413

M. LUTENBERGER CAN OPENER Filed July 12, 1925 m 2 FIG. 1 ,2a Ilz# fil ,d/53" as z2 M .25; i 2o 1 I 23 V 20 2.9 I@ m Giroux,

- ing the Patentedl Aug. 25, 19.25. i? ,l

UNITED STATES PATENT* OFFICE. L

MIKE LUTENBERGER, or BLoC'roN, ALABAMA.

CAN orENER.

Application inea nny 12, 1923.` serial No. 651,056.v

To all cl2/0m z't may @Qn/cem: Y

Be it known that I, `Minn LUTENBERGER, a citizeny of Hungary, residing at Blocton,

in the county of Bibb and State of Alabama, have invented 4certain new and useful Improvements in Can Openers, of which the following -is a specification. Y 4

This invention relates to new and useful improvements kin can openers. i

An important, object yof the invention is to provide a can opener which may be quickly and easily Y adapted/for accommodating cans of different sizes.

A further object of the invention is to providean opener of the above mentioned type: which is/capable, of completely cuttingv a portion from the end of a can witha single movement of the cutting element. A v

- A still further object ofthel invention is to provide a can opener of simple construction, strong, anddu'rable, and one that may be manufactured at anominal cost.

. Other objectsand advantages of the invention'will be apparent duringthe course` of the following description.`

1n the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed .Y to designate like parts throughout the same, ,l

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a can opener embodying` this invention,

Figure 2is a top plan View of the opener end with an angularly arranged substantial ly L-shaped extension 6 that is providedl in its foot portion 'r' with a threaded aperture 8 that isv adapted for operatively receivclamping screw 9, as best shown in Fig. 1. The opposite end of the base plate 5 is provided withan oiffsetlug 10 that is adapted `for opera-tively carrying the tensionsc'rew v11, as shown. It will lbe seen thatthe clampingscrew 9 andtension screw 11 may be employed for removably securing the base plate 5f'to a suitablesupport l12 which may be inthe form'of la table or shelf. Thebase Vplate 5 is further provided at'its four corners with apertures 13 through;

which suitable securing means, such as bolts or screws, may-be .passed'whenit isdesired to permanently secure the base plate to a supporting object. i

bythe rivet or screw 14, is a block '15 which is integrally formed with a Vsubstantially rectangularly-shaped perpendicular` post 16 having a longitudinally extending elongated slot 17 formed therein.r The oppositelongi tudina] edges of this post`16 are provided with saw teethformations 18 .and 1'9'withl the teeth 18 arranged instaggered relation tothe teeth 19. kThe block 15 and post 16 are rotatably secured to the base plate 5 by means of a counter sunk rivet or screw 111v so that the parts supported by said post may be swung horizontally about the vertical aXis of said rivet 14 and the opener be thereby brought, as will be hereinafter eXplained, centrally over the canto beopened.y lMoreover this arrangement permits either ofthe series `ratchet teeth 18 or 19 to be used atr will reversing the position of this part. l

A handle member 2() is provided ywithV a bifurcated end portion 21 having a longi- Rotatablysecured tothe base plate 5, asl

tudinally extending slot'22 formed in `each,

side section of the saidA bifurcated end, as

best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. For the pur-Y pose yof adjustably securing this handle 2() to'lthe vupright rectangularly-shaped post 16,

,l there are provided headed bolts 28 and 24 taken that are inserted through transverse openings formed in the sidefsections of the bifurcated end 21'and are secured thereto by means of the thumbrnuts 25 and 26 respectively. It will benoted thatjthe transverse-A ly extending boltsy 23 and` 24 are spacedA different distances froinfthe end face of the bifurcated end 21 of the handle member 20 and that they `are spaced from'each other a greater distance than the distance between they side walls of the slot 1'( and the outer edges of the saw teeth 18 and 19. yThe headed bolt 23 is adapted for slidably occupying the longitudinally extending elongated slot 17- formed in the rsaid post 16 while the headed bolt 24 is adapted for selectively engaging the teeth formed in the longitudinal edO'es of the said post.

blidably positioned between the side sections of the bifurcated end 21k is a substantially rectangularly-shaped shank 27 that is formed integrally with an inverted cupshaped cutting element 28 having diametrically positioned outwardly extending` lugs 29 formed thereon. The lower edge of this cutting element 28 is provided with alt-ernately arranged large and small cutting edges 31 Which. may be of any suitable formation. For the purpose of adjustably securing this cutting element 28 to the handle 20, a headed bolt 32 has been provided and is inserted through a suitable transverse Vopening formed in the said lug 27 and also slidably engages the elongated slot 22 formed in the opposite side portions of the bifurcated end 21. .A thumb nut is proifided for securing the saidcutting element in its desired adjusted position.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there is shown a modification which embodies the means for securing the cutting element to the bifurcated end 21 of the handle 20. As has ljust been suggested they form of handle 2O and bifurcated 21 disclosed and described in reference to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive is identical in this modilied form of the invention. The cutting element 28 with the lugs 29 and cutting edges 30 and 31 are also similar. The modification, therefore, consists of forming the shank 27CL with an externally threaded reducedv extension 271 upon which is operatively mounted the thumb nut 33a'. 1t will be seen that with the shank 27PL positioned between the side portions of the bifurcated end 21, the thumb nut 33n will tightly clamp the said bifurca-ted end 20 against the upper flat surface of the cutting element 28 for the purpose of securing the latter in its desired adjusted position.

The operation of the device is as follows l/ilhen a can, as designated by the character C, is placed upon the base plate 5 in vertical alinement with the rcutting element 28 the said bifurcated end 21 is raised or lowered upon the upright post 16 for the purpose of bringing the cutting' element 28 in proper position in respect to the upper end of the said can and for placing the handle member on substantially a horizontal plane. Due to t-he fact that the headed bolts 23 and 24 are spaced apart a greater distance than the distance between the walls of the elongated slot 17 and the outer edges of the saw teeth 18, the headed bolt 24 will be allowed to ride upwardly or downwardly past these said edges of the saw teeth. After the cutting' edges 30 have been moved into engagement with the top of the can C, pressure'applied to the outer nare end of the handle 2O will cause the handle to slide upon the bolt 32 for placing the bolt 2t in engagement wit-lr the proper tooth formation 18. Further pressure upon the end of the handle 2() will cause the cutting elen'ientis 28 to exert a downward pressure against the top of the can C while the bolt will exert an upward pressure against the horizontally extending face of the saw tooth formation against which it is bearing. It will be very apparent that any additional pressure brought to bear against the end of the handle 2O will not cause further movement of the latter until the can top or the saw tooth formation yields to the pressure placed thereupon. The can top, of course, will be the 'irstto yield and the desired result will be accomplished. It will be apparent that the bolt 23 is employed for preventing the handle 24 from accidentally becoming disconnected from the post 16 and, also, for retaining the handle 2O in a proper position inrespect to the post 15 for insuring engagement between the bolt 24 and one ofthe saw teeth formations. The purpose of the swivel connection between the' block 15 and the basey 5 is to allow the cutting element 28 to be moved on a horizontal plane for the` purpose of properly centering the same in respect to the can C. It is to be understood that the cutting element 28 is not to be limited to a circular format-ion, as is disclosed by the various views, for the same may be formed into a rectangle, a triangle, a straight edge, or any other-suitable formation for handling cans that are of substantially similar formation. The saw teeth formations 18 and 19 have been provided in staggered relation upon opposite longitudinal edges of the post 16 for the purpose of allowing a liner vertical adjust-mentof the cutting element 28. By remo-ving the thumb nut 25 from the bolt 23 and withdrawing the latter, the handle may be removed from the upright post 16 which may then be reversed for placing the saw teeth 19 in theV position now occupied by the teeth 18. The handle and cutting element may then be connected to the post 16 in the manner heretofore described.

It is to be understood that the forms of this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined Claims.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim 1. In a can opener, a base, a post rotatably mounted on the base and having op'- positely disposed sets of ratchet teeth, the teeth of one set being staggered with relll() spect to the teeth of the other set, a handleshiftable to either side of Said post, a u1' Crum bolt carried 'by the handle and `selectively engageable with the ratchet teeth, and

- a can opener supportedby saidhandle.

2. In aV can opener, a base, a post rotatably mounted on the base and having oppostely disposed sets of ratchet teeth, the teeth of one set being staggered with respect to the 10 teeth of the other set, a handle shiftable to Intestimony Whereo1 I aX my signature. y i

- y MIKE LUTENBERGER.' 

